The Scent of Cologne & Libraries
by LucaCantellano
Summary: Naruto, a freshman in college, finds out his roommate is an insufferable jerk named Sasuke. However, as the seasons change, so do their feelings for one another. Will their growing relationship last through college and after, or does tragedy await them and their love? \\ SasuNaru \\ SasukexNaruto \\ University \\ Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

The Scent of Cologne &amp; Libraries

**Chapter 1**

The room was empty. Perhaps this should have been some relief to Naruto, but this heart was beating too fast to really tell if he was happy for this turn of events, or if it just made him more nervous. On second thought, the later sounded more accurate. He let out a loud sigh as he tossed the heavy box in his hands onto the bed on his left. Both beds were empty, but his bed at home was the left… might as well have some sort of reminder of home, right?

As you might have noticed, college wasn't exactly Naruto's first choice. In fact, he was hoping to skip it all together and go straight into work. Maybe start as a dishwasher and go from there. His father had other plans for him, however. He shouldn't be surprised, though. His father was an elementary school teacher and always believed that education was the most important step into adulthood. Naruto didn't agree. On a good day, Naruto would rather jump off a waterfall into a boiling pit of piranhas; his grades were a perfect example of this.

However, Naruto also had a soft spot for anything his father wanted. His father had adopted him when he was 6. The way Naruto always saw it, he owed the man his life. So, what was another 4 years of scholastic hell and demon-teachers that forced their students to slave over pointless tests and essays until their hands bled and they went blind? Okay, it was a slight exaggeration, but not by much...

"Well, this isn't so bad." Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of his father's voice suddenly behind him.

"Ah! Uh, well, no one's here yet, so…" he trailed off, a shaky hand brushing back golden blonde hair from his damp forehead.

"_Nervous_?"

"N-no, I'll be fine."

"You _sure_?"

Naruto glared back at the older man, noticing the knowing smirk gleaming on his face. "Iruka. I'm _fine_."

"Well, then I should head back. I still need to finish grading those papers from yesterday." He chuckled to himself, setting the rest of Naruto's items on the floor next to the bed Naruto had chosen. "You're sure you don't want me to stay the night?"

"What?! No!" Naruto's face paled, knowing his father was only half joking. "No, you should head home. You're right. Lots of things to grade!" With an awkward grin, he shooed Iruka out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

* * *

It wasn't until a few hours later that his father actually started on his drive home. Iruka insisted that they eat dinner together and talk about everything the older man could think of, as if it was the last time he would see Naruto for years. Even after Naruto told him he would come home every holiday and maybe even visit some weekends, it still didn't seem to sink. If Naruto didn't know any better, he would think he was leaving the country for a decade, not going to the college only about a 7-hour-drive from home.

He walked back from the parking lot slowly, pulling out his cell phone to distract himself. Classes started the day after tomorrow, so he had only one more day to cherish his freedom. The freedom from homework, that is.

His worn sneakers practically dragged on the ground as he made his way up the steps to Leaf Hall, his melancholy demeanor a stark contrast to the excited, running freshman that ran around the halls from room to room. Paper planes flew over his head as he continued to browse whatever social media he could in the short amount of time before he reached his own room. He wasn't sure what he was going to face, or, more accurately, **who** he was going to face, but he knew he wasn't entirely looking forward to it.

* * *

The room was empty. Okay, now he was a bit creeped out. He double checked the room, closing the door behind him before looking all around, but no mysterious boxes or personal belongings beside his own were in the room. Maybe he wasn't coming today? Maybe he got sick and died? Naruto reached into one of the open boxes to pull out a folder of papers before sitting at his desk. Looking through the paperwork, he ran into the one that mentioned his roommate.

"Sasuke Uchiha," he mumbled to himself, curiosity eating at him as he tried to imagine who this person could be.

"Yes?" Naruto nearly jumped out of his seat at the second time a voice appeared behind him in the god-forsaken room. However, this time it was someone else; this time it was someone with ebony hair and fair skin. "Do you normally whisper your roommates name to yourself in the dark, or am I special?"

_Shit._


	2. Chapter 2

**Previously:**

Naruto reached into one of the open boxes to pull out a folder of papers before sitting at his desk. Looking through the paperwork, he ran into the one that mentioned his roommate.

"Sasuke Uchiha," he mumbled to himself, curiosity eating at him as he tried to imagine who this person could be.

"Yes?" Naruto nearly jumped out of his seat at the second time a voice appeared behind him in the god-forsaken room. However, this time it was someone else; this time it was someone with ebony hair and fair skin. "Do you normally whisper your roommates name to yourself in the dark, or am I special?"

_Shit._

* * *

**Chapter 2:**

Naruto's mouth dropped open as he stared blankly at the boy before him. Of course this would happen. What luck!

"Well?" The boy said breezily, an air of cockiness surrounding his tall frame as he set the box in his arms on the bed adjacent of Naruto's before slipping off his backpack and setting it on the other desk. Coal-black eyes darted back to Naruto's azure ones, as if waiting for some response. Actually, he should respond, shouldn't he? O_kay, Naruto, play it cool. Act like it's nothing. Yea, that sounds like a plan._

"Uh, yea, I was just reading out loud this-"

"Reading out loud? Are you in preschool?"

"WHA-"

"How did you even get into this school? If you are going to be reading out loud in your classes, I'm sure your classmates are going to hate you be the end of the wee-"

"HEY! WHO ARE YOU CALLING STUPID?"

"Stupid? I never said that. However, your village just called. They're missing their idiot."

"HOW DARE YOU!"

"Whatever. Don't whisper my name in the dark while I'm gone. Can you do that, _dobe_? Or should I write it down so you can hear it in your own voice when I leave?" The raven haired boy smirked at Naruto, taking his cellphone out of his pocket before gliding back out the room and closing it behind him.

"WHAT THE HELL! AT LEAST LET ME RESPOND, **TEME**!" Naruto didn't even realize he had stood up half way through their… conversation. Where did that guy even come from? He didn't even know Naruto and yet this guy treated him like some... some… village idiot!

Pacing the tiny room, their foot space small enough that a sofa could snuggly fit between both beds. And he was supposed to live with this guy in such a small space? YEAH RIGHT! He huffed and puffed, throwing his arms around as he cursed out his roommate using every word he could think of.

After about an hour of cursing and kicking the beds, he finally settled down enough to sit back at his desk. It was getting dark, however. He hadn't even noticed it until he realized he could no longer read the papers on his desk. Having been so riled up, he hadn't even noticed the time.

As he walked over to the door and flipped the switch to turn on the light, a loud knock came from the door in front of him. He half expected it to be that bastard. Maybe he locked himself out? So, of course, he swung the door open, fully ready to start screaming profanities at that guy… until he say it wasn't him.

"Hey!" It was a boy, probably his age, with brown hair and red tattoos on each cheek. He had a sort of wolfish grin as he appraised Naruto's appearance. "How's it going, neighbor! I heard shouting? Everything okay?" He seemed friendly enough… Much nicer than the last guy. It took him a moment to notice the brunette had his fist out. Naruto awkwardly bumped it before grinning back at the other boy.

"Oh, yeah. I guess my roommates kind of a prick?"

"Damn, really? Only after the first day?"

"Yeah…" he laughed awkwardly as he reached up to scratch the back of his head. It was kind of embarrassing to know that everyone could hear what happens in the other rooms.

"My name is Kiba, by the way." Kiba shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket, still smiling.

"Naruto. Nice to meet you." He actually couldn't help but grin back.

"Say, if you want to come to our room, we have some food? We're about to play Halo, too, if you're into that."

"What? Yeah! That's awesome! Let me grab my phone and keys really quick."

"Okay, We'll meet you over there. We're right next door, at room 37!"

Without waiting for a response, Kiba waved at Naruto before walking back to his own room, whose door was left wide open. In fact, most of the doors in the hallway were open. It was like some meet-and-great in the hallway, and Naruto suddenly started to think that he might actually enjoy this college. Well, this part of it, anyway.

* * *

The rest of the night was filled with junk food, dirty jokes, and even game they could get their hands on. Naruto met Kiba's creepy-but-nice roommate Shino, who he was certain he didn't want to be alone with in a dark room, and his childhood friend that decided to go to the same college, Hinata. She was as pretty as she was quiet. She also seemed to like sitting really, really close to him… and bat her eyes at him. Maybe she had an eye infection and was cold? He wasn't really sure…

However, he didn't want to go back to his own room. Why would he? Besides for that bed… That bed sounded really good right about now. It was a long day, after all.

The hallway smelled like Italian dressing and axe. It was gross. Even so, he would rather stand out there, surrounded by wasted and overly-excited freshman tripping over one another and bumping into him, than enter that room… That bed, though….

Hesitantly, Naruto turned to the doorknob, opening it ever so slowly. Glancing at his phone, it was 5:03am… When he looked up, he noticed the light was off. He stepped into the room, only to be disappointed by what he saw in the shadows: the room wasn't empty.

Sleeping in the other bed was none other than the bastard himself. He was tempted to just wake the guy up and start up another argument, but he really wasn't in the mood for his vibe to be killed already. He was still in high spirits after Kiba and the others. He wasn't about to let this _teme_ ruin his high!

Stealthily, pretending he was 007 or some ninja, he creeped back into the room, closing the door behind himself, before stumbling over to the beg. _Man, I would make a lousy ninja!_ He tried not to snicker out loud as he reached the bed… only to realize he never unpacked. His bed sheets were still in the box. _Shit. Okay, let's do this blindly, then._

After rustling and quietly cursing to himself, he finally got sheets on the bed. How it looked… he had no idea. But, hell, at least the sheets were on the bed. Without further ado, he quickly slipped into the sheets, his feet getting caught in the twisted material. Suddenly, he heard rustling from the other bed. He stilled, listening to see if he had woken the other boy up. However, the rustling stopped, and no other noise came from the other side. _Phew, that was close._

After another few minutes, he was finally laying comfortably in his new bed, his eyes heavy and his body numb. He didn't even remember falling asleep.


End file.
